Department for Transport

Crossrail Line: Costs

Lord Crathorne: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the cost of the Elizabeth Line has exceeded original forecasts.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The original funding package agreed in the 2010 Spending Review to fund delivery of Crossrail (excluding costs for trains and depots) was £14.8 billion.Current forecast costs for completing Crossrail are £18.9 billion. This includes Network Rail On Network Works costs for surface works but exclude costs for trains and depots.

Cycleways: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Moynihan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the 200 sections of the English road network scheduled for improvement for cyclists in 2017 have been completed; and what is the schedule for future investment.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: National Highways is committed to supporting active travel and making the Strategic Road Network (SRN), comprising our motorways and principal A-Roads, accessible and safer for cyclists, by delivering 200 new cycling facilities and improved crossing points between 2016 and 2021. A total number of 160 cycling schemes and 438 new or upgraded crossings for cyclists, pedestrians and/or horse-riders (211 new and 227 upgraded) have been delivered up to March 2020.Whilst not targeted in the second Road Investment Strategy (RIS2) (2020 to 2025), National Highways is committed to improving the SRN’s impact on cyclists, walkers and other vulnerable users. Designated Funds form a part of National Highways’ contribution to this, through the Walkers Cyclists and Horse riders’ theme within its User and Community fund.Through Designated Funds, National Highways is providing new infrastructure for road users, and enhancing existing facilities, through targeted local investment. National Highways has invested £45.3 million since April 2020 and has a further £24 million of approved projects for delivery.

Crossrail Line: Platinum Jubilee 2022

Lord Crathorne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Transport for London about whether the Elizabeth Line will be open before the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations; and what was the outcome of those discussions.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Delivery of the Elizabeth line comes under the remit of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL).TfL has stated that Elizabeth line remains on schedule to open the central section tunnel between Abbey Wood and Paddington in the first half of 2022. Specific opening dates will only be communicated once the railway is safe and reliable to open to passengers.

Driving under Influence

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the consultation on drink driving will be launched; and whether it will include a question on the case for lowering the blood alcohol content limit.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Department for Transport will be conducting a call for evidence on parts of the Road Traffic Act 1988. It is expected that we will be in a position to publish this in the first half of 2022. While details are still being worked up as to its scope, it is expected that it will include drink and drug driving offences, and the offence of failure to stop and report. There may be an opportunity to highlight other areas of concern.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Carers: Leave

Baroness Pitkeathley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits to employers and carer employees of introducing a statutory right to carers' leave; and what plans they have, if any, to introduce legislation conferring such a statutory right.

Lord Callanan: The Government has consulted on proposals for a statutory right to carer’s leave, including the benefits for both employers and employees. The Government response to this consultation was published in September 2021 and included an assessment of the consultation findings. The legislative programme for the next parliamentary session will be set out at the Queen’s Speech.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of national security interests in permitting the sale of Newport Wafer Fab to Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company.

Lord Callanan: The Government is considering the case and no decisions have been made. The Government is unable to comment on the details of businesses’ commercial transactions or on national security assessments.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks of the former head of the National Cyber Security Centre Ciaran Martin that (1) there were "very real concerns" about the buyout of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company, and (2) that it posed a greater threat than allowing Huawei to build the UK's 5G network.

Lord Callanan: The Government does not comment on the detail of national security assessments.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the UK's Five Eyes allies about strategic and security matters prompted by the sale of Newport Wafer Fab to Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company; and if they have had no such discussions, why not.

Lord Callanan: The Government is unable to comment on the detail of national security assessments or on strategic or security conversations with allies.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks by their advisor to the Board of Trade, Tony Abbott, that the sale of Newport Wafer Fab "would not go ahead were it happening in Australia"; and what discussions they have had with him about those remarks.

Lord Callanan: The Government does not comment on the detail of national security assessments.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the takeover of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia, a Chinese owned company, whether the semiconductor plant is the largest in the UK; and what assessment they have made of the supply need for semiconductors in the UK.

Lord Callanan: Newport Wafer Fab is one of the largest semiconductor plants in the UK. The Government is aware of the vital role of the semiconductor sector in the global economy and remains committed to ensuring the UK sector continues to play an important role in an international ecosystem.

Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not used their powers under under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 to review the takeover of Newport Wafer Fab by Nexperia, a Chinese-owned company.

Lord Callanan: The Government is considering the case. The UK Government has powers to intervene where there is a risk to national security under the National Security and Investment Act 2021, which commenced on 4 January 2022.

Royal Bank of Scotland

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the High Court judgement on the Royal Bank of Scotland prospectus case (2015 EWHC 3433 C), what assessment they have made of the judgment; whether the UK Endorsement Board consults equity analysts in endorsing accounting standards; and if so, why.

Lord Callanan: The UK Endorsement Board is required to consult individuals and organisations with an interest in the quality and availability of accounts, including users and preparers of accounts. Regulation 8 of the International Accounting Standards and European Public Limited-Liability Company (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 sets out the requirements for consultation before adopting an international accounting standard for use in the UK. The UK Endorsement Board does not exclusively seek views from equity analysts. The Board issues all its consultations on endorsement assessments publicly on its website, to ensure that all stakeholders have an opportunity to respond. All responses are given due consideration and are published on the Board’s website.

Global Navigation Satellite Systems

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have drafted a national Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) strategy; and if so, when it will be published.

Lord Callanan: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave him on 5th April 2022 to Question HL7407.

Small Modular Reactors

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are consulting the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, in parallel with work on progressing plans for small modular reactors.

Lord Callanan: The Government has requested that consideration of managing the disposal of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste arising from decommissioning small modular reactors be included in the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management’s work programme. The Committee is in the process of finalising its Work Programme which is expected to be published in June.

Tidal Power: River Mersey

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of their strategy for the diversification of energy supply, they will re-examine proposals for the construction of a Mersey barrage to generate tidal power.

Lord Callanan: The Government remains open to well-developed proposals for harnessing tidal range energy, provided that such proposals can demonstrate energy system benefits, plausible environmental impact mitigation strategies, and value for money.

Small Business Commissioner

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what conclusions they reached with the Small Business Commissioner regarding the implications of the results of the Increasing the scope and powers of the Small Business Commissioner consultation, which ran from 1 October 2020 to 24 December 2020; what proposals they intend to come up with as a result of this; and when such proposals will be implemented.

Lord Callanan: We are committed to strengthen the powers of the Small Business Commissioner to support small businesses. We are working through the impact of any new powers with the Commissioner to better understand resourcing implications of each option and also working through the impact on businesses.

Department for Education

Overseas Students: Afghanistan

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how may studentsfrom universities in Afghanistan have been offered places to study within the UK.

Baroness Barran: The department does not hold information on the number of students from overseas coming to study in the UK. However, data from the 2020/21 academic year shows that the number of Afghan domiciled students studying at a UK higher education (HE) provider was 215. As part of Operation Warm Welcome, it was announced on 1 September 2021 that funding for a single cohort of students for entry into the next academic year (2022/23) will be provided for up to 300 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Afghan students at UK universities. Further details will be launched shortly.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Bahrain: Human Rights

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the intervention by the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg at the United Nations Human Rights Council on 22 March regarding their concern over Bahraini human rights defenders, what were the most recent dates upon which they raised these cases with their counterparts in Bahrain.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Bahrain is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country. Officials and ministers regularly discuss human rights issues and individual cases with senior members of the Government of Bahrain, as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies. My [Minister of State for South and Central Asia, UN and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad] own visit to Bahrain from 13-14 February was such an opportunity.

Tigray: Humanitarian Aid

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help pursue a ceasefire in Tigray to support the delivery of humanitarian aid; what assessment they have made of the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Ethiopia; and how the withdrawal is being monitored.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: On 24 March the Government of Ethiopia announced a humanitarian truce and committed to facilitating overland access to Tigray. This was followed by a similar commitment by the Tigray authorities. On the 1 April a UN humanitarian convoy comprising twenty trucks and one fuel tanker reached Mekelle from Afar region - the first overland delivery of aid to Tigray since mid-December 2021. As the Minister for Africa set out in her statement of 31 March, the UK welcomes this development and the UK acknowledges the important role the Afar authorities have played, alongside the Government of Ethiopia and the authorities in Tigray, in facilitating the convoy and prioritising the welfare of civilians.The UK is committed to working with the Government of Ethiopia and authorities in Afar and Tigray to expand aid deliveries to areas affected by the conflict and to promote long-term peace and security.Troops from Eritrea have caused significant suffering in Tigray and they have committed abuses which may constitute war crimes. Eritrean troops should withdraw fully from Ethiopia, to help bring about an end to the conflict.

Bahrain: Education

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March, what representations they will make tothe government of Bahrain to ensure that children in that country receive access to quality education.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We welcome efforts by the Government of Bahrain to provide free education to Bahraini and expatriate children where necessary and subject to existing capacity limitations. We would encourage continuing progress to ensure quality education is available to all.

Bahrain: Detainees

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 21 March (138330), whether they will review their position of welcoming Bahrain’s Restorative Justice Law for Children, in light of the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK draws on a wide range of sources when assessing human rights issues in Bahrain. We continue to believe that the Restorative Justice Law for Children provides greater protections for children's rights than the law it replaces and is consistent with Article 37 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child.  We welcome its entry into force and continue to support Government of Bahrain efforts to ensure the law is fully and effectively implemented.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March, what assessment they have made of those findings; and what representations will they make for the immediate, and unconditional, release of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Naji Fateel from prison.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK draws on a wide range of sources when assessing human rights issues in Bahrain and regularly raises these and individual cases with the Government of Bahrain, at senior levels, both in private and public. We encourage those with concerns to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body and continue to encourage them to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.

National Institute for Human Rights

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, furtherto the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March, what assessment they have made of the independence of the National Institute for Human Rights (NIHR) in Bahrain; and what are the implications of this assessment for their support of the NIHR through the Gulf Strategy Fund.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK draws on a wide range of sources when making its assessment of Bahrain's independent oversight bodies. The UK does not (currently) provide support for the National Institute for Human Rights through the Gulf Strategy Fund.

Belarus: Russia

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Belarus concerning that country's assistance to Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemns the role the Belarusian regime is playing in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Minister for Europe and North America summoned the Belarusian Ambassador on 25 February to make clear that the Lukashenko regime must end its support for Russia's illegal invasion and respect Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty in line with its international obligations. Furthermore, on 1 March, the Foreign Secretary launched a package of sanctions on those Belarusian individuals and organisations who have aided and abetted this reckless aggression. Individuals will be unable to travel to the UK and any UK-based assets will be frozen. We also plan to extend recent Russia sanctions to Belarus in due course. The Lukashenko regime will be made to feel the economic consequences for its support for Putin's attack on Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin: War Crimes

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to hold the President of Russia accountable for war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK also joined 44 others in launching the OSCE Moscow Mechanism fact-finding mission. This investigated human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law by Russia in Ukraine, covering the period 24 February to 1 April, and drew on reporting from open sources as well as interviews with civil society, journalists, refugees and other actors on the ground.The report, published on 13 April, is the first independent expert report into these issues. It found credible evidence of Russian war crimes, from the torture, rape and killing of innocent civilians to the forced deportation of over 500,000. The UK is determined to hold to account those responsible for these atrocities so this can never happen again.

Ministry of Defence

Early Warning Systems

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the war in Ukraine, whether acceptance of Crowsnest into service will be accelerated.

Baroness Goldie: Initial Release to Service was achieved in February 2021 and the programme successfully delivered a baseline capability to support the Carrier Strike Group deployment.On current plans, Initial Operating Capability is expected to be reached this year and Full Operating Capability in 2023.

Frigates

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the war in Ukraine, whether the (1) Type 26, and (2) Type 31, frigate programmes will be accelerated.

Baroness Goldie: The Department continually reviews its shipbuilding programme schedules within the related constraints.All three ships of the first batch of Type 26 frigates are currently in build in Govan. The first Type 26 frigate, HMS GLASGOW, is expected to be in service with the Royal Navy in 2027.The procurement of Batch 2 (Ships 4-8) was confirmed in 2021. The dates for the construction of each ship will be set during commercial negotiations with BAES. The in service dates for Batch 2 ships will be determined and approved when the programme achieves its main investment decision point.There are five Type 31 frigates on contract with Babcock. The first Type 31 frigate HMS VENTURER is expected to be in service with the Royal Navy in 2027.

Type 23 Frigates

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the war in Ukraine, whether the planned paying off of Type 23 frigates will be delayed.

Baroness Goldie: There are no plans to delay the out of service dates of Type 23 frigates. The current schedule will see the class retired from service incrementally through to 2035, to be replaced by more capable ships as they go out of service.

Type 45 Destroyers

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in view of the war in Ukraine, whether the Type 45 PIP programme will be accelerated.

Baroness Goldie: I refer the noble Lord to the reply given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Defence Procurement (Jeremy Quin), in the House of Commons on 21 March 2022 to the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford (Mark Francois) to Question 141925.Type 45 Destroyers; Repairs and Maintenance (docx, 18.5KB)

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Children

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they applied the Family Test to the Universal Credit two child limit when the policy was introduced; and whether theyintendto do so on the policy’s fifth anniversary.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: When developing the policy to provide support to a maximum of two children, the Department considered its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty which included some impacts on families where members are protected under the Equality Act 2010. Specific consideration was given to the impact on claimants with protected characteristics who would be affected by the introduction of the policy, including but not limited to, the gender and age of claimants in receipt of the child element of Universal Credit, ethnic minority households and households who are in receipt of disability related benefits. The Family Test should be considered in the process of policy development. There are currently no plans to apply the test now.

Social Security Benefits: Uprating

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they applied the Family Test to theSocial Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2022.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: In making her decisions relating to the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2022, the Secretary of State considered her obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty which also included the impact on families. Specific consideration was given to the profile of disability related benefits; the proportion of families in receipt of State Pension and Pension Credit by ethnicity; and the gender and age of claimants for Universal Credit (UC), Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), Employment & Support Allowance (ESA), Income Support and Housing Benefit (HB). In addition, consideration was given to the ethnicity breakdown of ESA and JSA claimants and the family type of UC and HB households.

Cabinet Office

UK Relations with EU: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultations were carried out with Northern Ireland (1) Ministers, and (2) stakeholders, prior to the publication of The Benefits of Brexit: How the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU, published on 31 January.

Lord True: My officials undertake regular engagement with the Devolved Administrations, including on the Brexit Freedoms Bill and the reviews of retained EU law, and will continue to do so. They last met representatives from the Scottish Government, along with the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive on 30 March.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Nigeria

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make the release of Mubarak Bala, President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria, a requirement for any future trade deals between the UK and Nigeria.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government is clear that more trade need not come at the expense of our values. We will continue to work constructively with the Government of Nigeria on trade and other matters. HM Government is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has raised, and will continue to raise, Mr Bala’s case with the Nigerian authorities.

Biofuels: Import Duties

Baroness Randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the UK’s domestic biodiesel industry of authorisations which allow imports of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil free from normal import duties.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The rate of customs duty on imported Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is 0%, due to an existing tariff suspension. If HVO is imported into the UK under Inward Processing (IP), liability to import VAT is suspended and becomes payable if the processed goods enter the home market. A review into the UK’s anti-dumping measure on HVO imported from the US and Canada is currently underway. The Trade Remedies Authority published a Statement of Essential Facts last year which proposed revoking the measure on HVO which interested parties had the opportunity to respond to.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Channel Four Television: Privatisation

Lord Smith of Finsbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they will take to safeguard the specific public service duties of Channel 4 in the event of privatisation.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: Her Majesty’s Government believes that the need for public service broadcasting remains as strong as ever, and wants to ensure that the UK’s broadcasting system is dynamic and relevant, and that it can continue to meet the needs of audiences in the future.The Government has been very clear that it wants Channel 4 to remain a public service broadcaster, with obligations and benefits similar to those which all public service broadcasters have – both public and privately-owned – so that it continues to make an important social, economic, and cultural contribution to the UK.